Today I am celebrating, because yesterday I signed an order for a 2006 Cirrus SR22 (yippee!). It’s my first aircraft purchase, although I started looking for a Cirrus back in 2007 (before the bottom dropped out of the market… I’m sure glad I waited!).

Now is an excellent time to buy (if you happen to still have a job and some financial stability, that is). There is a good supply of used aircraft, including repossessed high-end planes, like the one I got from Cirrus.

This isn’t a full checklist for aircraft ownership (check out AOPA for that), but just a few tips and observations from my own experience. I am sure I will have more to share on this topic later, when we actually GET the airplane (October 21).

1. Partner wisely and communicate: Partnerships allow you to get into an airplane you couldn’t otherwise afford. And if one pilot plans to be a weekend flyer and the other flies for business, it’s really an ideal situation… but what if all partners want the plane for weekend trips? Be sure to talk about things like scheduling and maintenance philosophies in advance.

2. Leave no stone unturned: Don’t just browse Controller.com in your search. Be proactive in talking to dealers, so that you can be the first to learn of new planes on the market. Also check out the repossessed airplanes on the market at sites like www.irggroup.com. Many of those planes have spotty logbooks which scared me away, but someone with a more mechanical mindset might find the perfect project airplane there.

3. Be flexible: I have two partners in my plane. In any partnership, each member is likely to have different priorities. Choose what’s important to you, and be flexible in the areas that are less important. It also helps if your partners share that same attitude (mine do, which is why the deal finally got done).

4. Be persistent: Buying an airplane is really hard, especially when one of your criteria is to get a ridiculously good deal. Good deals take work. You may lose a couple of planes in the process, but don’t get hung up on one particular airplane. There are many fish in the sea — be willing to keep looking for the best one at your price point.

This is where I would like to insert a photo of my new airplane, but truth be told, I don’t have one. I haven’t even seen the airplane yet. I do know it was an air taxi and needs a little TLC before it’s ready for its happy new owners. It’s going to get new paint and graphics, new Avidyne screens, a WAAS upgrade, and a whole new engine. It will be ready in October. That leads to my last tip… be patient.

We’ve added a new aviation tour to the line up: California Wine & Dine. This May 2010 excursion will cover the coast of California and offers guests a taste of all things California, from the wineries in Napa, to the Redwoods of the north, to the spas of Palm Springs.

I will be test flying this route  in October. That entails visiting various properties, tasting delicious food and wine, and also nailing down the overall logistics of the many flight legs. Yes, it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it!

The flying car.

A sense of hope and expectation for the flying car  is embedded in the American psyche. The Jetsons did it to us. For many years, we’ve all been sorely disappointed, but we remain optimistic.

At the Oshkosh Airventure show this year, I found the elusive flying car. Oh sure, the folks at Terrafuggia are careful to call their odd little creature a “roadable aircraft.”  But I know a flying car when I see one.  It flies. Then its wings fold up and it drives. You can fill it up at a regular gas station.

The prototype I saw at Oshkosh has been on 28 (apparently successful) test flights. First delivery is expected next year. You need a Sport Pilot license to operate it. And it can be yours for just $194,000.

www.terrafugia.com

I think I need one of these.